


Bellflowers

by kodoku



Category: JBJ (Band), Produce 101 (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Slow Burn, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, pairings to be added as I go
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-03
Updated: 2019-02-03
Packaged: 2019-10-21 09:20:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 817
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17640056
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kodoku/pseuds/kodoku
Summary: Donghan doesn’t want a soulmate. Kenta is searching for his. Soulmark AU, somewhat canon compliant.





	Bellflowers

**Author's Note:**

> So apparently when I have double the study load compared to last year, I procrastinate more. Figures.
> 
> Korean ages, because changing between the ages makes my head hurt.

When Kim Donghan wakes up on his eighteenth birthday with unfamiliar characters running across his forearm, he curses the world and every god he knows of.  
  
He’d been praying that fate wouldn’t bind him with this collar as soon as he was of age. At the very least, he could’ve been given a few more years of freedom. Heck, he would be grateful if the accursed thing appeared even only a year later. He knows his friends think he’s crazy - everyone around Donghan’s age constantly daydreams about their meeting their soulmates - but he’s seen how the matching system can ruin people. His mother, for one, has never been the same after his father passing, and Donghan doesn’t want to go through that kind of pain. His life motto for himself is _‘don’t get attached and you won’t get hurt’_. As a consequence of that, he also doesn’t have many close friends, but he thinks that’s for the best.  
  
And most of all, Donghan just isn’t interested in a soulmate. He has better things to do, like dance practice, vocal training and debuting in order to let his mother life a comfortable life. He’s only getting older, and he hasn’t got the time to waste on affection and love.  
  
Donghan examines the mark on his left wrist more closely, tracing over the strokes with his fingertip. The name is all delicate straight lines and elegance, different to the Korean characters he’s used to. Japanese? Chinese? Donghan isn’t sure. But he does know that he doesn’t want it.  
  
Considering the soulmark again, Donghan wonders if his mother and brother will consent to letting him get it surgically removed. Probably not - even though he’s the older one, his brother is still a hopeless romantic. Plus, as someone who is aspiring to become an idol, Donghan knows it would be bad publicity if the public finds out. People will make all sorts of dubious assumptions, and he can already imagine the rumors that will follow a soulmark removal. In this society, it’s not considered normal to simply _not want_ a soulmate.  
  
Sighing in defeat, Donghan grabs the beige cuff beside his bed that was bought in preparation for this day. All he can do is cover it and pretend it’s not there. It’ll be easy for him anyway - celebrities always wear a cuff, even if they know who their match is, since it creates all sorts of problems if fans know the identity of the matches.  
  
Yeah, Donghan decides, he can just wear the cuff and pretend that he doesn’t have a mark. It’ll be easy. It’s even better that he can’t read it.  
  
He hopes he never meets his soulmate.

 

* * *

 

When Takada Kenta wakes up one morning and notices that there are three characters running neatly down his right forearm, he nearly shrieks out loud.  
  
Statically speaking, globally it’s normal for soulmates to be separated by a few years. However, in small country areas like Kenta’s hometown, it’s very uncommon, and at twenty one years of age Kenta was starting to lose hope. Even though his family always assures him to be patient, it's difficult when virtually all his classmates had received their marks before graduation. Some of them had even found their matches in the same year, the lucky bastards.  
  
The letters are Korean, and he silently thanks the gods that he has learnt some Korean for his love of k-pop. Seems like he’ll be needing it more than he thought he would. Kenta’s Korean is only basic, at best, but at least it lets him read his mark.

“Kim Donghan,” he breathes out reverently, the name turning into almost a prayer as it escapes his lips. And for Kenta, this soulmark does symbolise a miracle. He's been waiting for the world to tell him that there will be someone meant just for _him_. Someone who likes him for who he is, all his imperfections included.

It’s a guy’s name. Kenta considers this, and wonders what his soulmate is like, he would’ve only turned eighteen today. Would he be taller or shorter than Kenta? Would he like music too? Kenta knows he'll like his match no matter what they're like, but he secretly hopes that they will be as possessive as the boldness of the lettering suggests.

Kenta wets his lips nervously as he considers his future. Matches always meet _eventually_ , but Kenta is too impatient to wait for fate to work her magic. Sure, he’s promoting as Garagarahebi in Japan, and they’ve even performed overseas in Korea and Hong Kong, but Kenta feels like he needs to shine brighter. He has been thinking about moving to Korea and applying to an entertainment agency for the past year already, and the appearance of his soulmark today only reaffirms his decision.

Grabbing his phone from his bedside table, Kenta opens up Garagarahebi’s blog. He has a farewell letter to write.

**Author's Note:**

> A short prologue for now. I have an end in mind, but I plan to make this a journey. Please leave a kudo/comment to let me know what you think!


End file.
